Press

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/adria-blues-santa-barbara-review-680759

Tender and wry, employing both broad strokes and well-observed detail in its look at generational angst, Miroslav Mandic's feature revolves around a rock star of the '80s who's been depressed and performance-averse since fleeing his war-torn Bosnia. (...) Without excusing his withdrawal from life, the film subtly shows that it's a defense against the trauma of war. Toni Riff's redemption is the obvious objective of the story, but Mandic doesn't arrive at his goal with any of the self-congratulatory triumph that would define a more formulaic movie. There are no pat answers in this surprising and bittersweet comedy.

CRITICS' PICKS

http://www.independent.com/news/2014/jan/30/films-to-find

WHAT: Eclectic characters assembled at musical hotel reveal the lingering pains of Bosnian war with hope from humor and rock 'n' roll. WHY: Poignantly funny insights into how lives change and stop due to long-ago wars, with smart writing, solid acting, and a one-of-a-kind setting.

SBCC FILM REVIEWS

http://sbccfilmreviews.org/?p=30071

One film that I found totally hilarious was Adria Blues by Miroslav Mandic. (...) I tend to find humor that is centered around the irony in and of a situation tasteful. The film's story arch is like a theorem for Murphy's Law, which states everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. I'll refrain from divulging the details because I think this film is definitely worth checking out. All I'm able to say is the last shot of the film was the memorable way to tie all the loose ends together.

MANAKI BROTHERS

festival catalogue

This is a film offering a range of destinies, through the experience of which the author creates a very provocative, unbiased and sharp tragicomedy. An amazingly easy, but strong satire of modern life, which as its background makes use of the war in former Yugoslavia, as well as all wars which in many different ways change people's lives forever. (...) And above all, the courage to make a film by using very recognizable elements from the every day life, or foreign productions, and yet, all of this to be wrapped up in a completely different way, and in the end, make you see yourself in it.

DELO

http://www.delo.si/kultura/film/adria-blues-outsider-trideset-let-kasneje.html

Senad Basic plays well the passive and fearful ex-rocker, whose idle existence gets on everybody's nerves, but mostly his own. After two decades of not playing or writing, the broken artist finally wakes up from lethargy, only to realize that creating could be an end in itself, a way to keep your head straight in a society so radically changed since twenty years ago. The message of Adria Blues, which is highly watchable and not nostalgically crying for the times gone by, is actually a possibility of a bright future.

RADIO ARS

http://ars.rtvslo.si/gremo-v-kino-25/

A simple tale at first sight, the film talks about overcoming blocks and creativity in general, trying to say that an inspiration cannot be forced upon. Those heavy issues are woven into the story seamlessly, without moralizing and with a great deal of humor. Adria Blues is a bitter comedy with a logical and probable story, convincing characters and an open ending.

TEA PEVEC (35)
a viewer after Zagreb premiere

I came back home full of energy and happy that life has sense, when there are such good people and such good works of art. Of course we love films which hit our cord, offering characters we can identify with. Needless to say, I found myself in some aspects of the female lead, and I think many people could find themselves in other characters. And when you realize there are others just like you, it gives you some sort of relief.

FILMOFIL

http://www.filmofil.ba/adria-blues-tesko-je-biti-rocker/

The director here knows exactly what he's aiming for, therefore we have a film which is funny, while remaining a serious drama at its' core. The fact that it deals with a serious subject doesn't make the viewing difficult, yet it never lets loose nor loses contact with the reality. The main actor Senad Basic, under Mandic's miraculously watchful eye, is absolutely credible and, along with his long grey hair, evokes memories of the good old times. This is probably his best acting in recent years. His Toni Riff is a complexly built character, whose appearance makes sense only with the troubled personality he carries deep inside. (...) Whoever grew up in the 80s, either because of the way Mandic understands comedy or through direct references, should feel this film as their own.